1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a portable terminal in which a pair of housings is foldably coupled to each other. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable terminal where one housing can be rotatably opened in two directions with respect to the other housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, portable terminals are categorized into a bar type, a flip type, and a folder type. A bar-type terminal has data input and output devices, a transmitter, and a receiver within a single body housing. As a keypad being a data input device is kept open, an unintended or wrong operation can result. Also, there are limitations in miniaturizing the bar-type terminal due to a distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
A flip-type terminal includes a body, a flip, and a hinge module that connects the body to the flip. Data input and output devices, a transmitter, and a receiver are installed in the body. The flip covers a keypad as a data input device, thereby preventing an unintended or wrong operation of the terminal. However, the flip-type terminal also faces limitations in miniaturization because of the distance requirement between the transmitter and the receiver.
The folder-type terminal includes a body, a folder, and a hinge module that rotatably connects the body to the folder. The folder is opened or closed by rotation. Wrong operations of a keypad can be prevented in idle mode where the folder is in close contact with the body. During a call mode, the folder is open allowing a transmitter and a receiver to be sufficiently apart from each other. Thus, the folder-type terminal can be made small. This is why folder-type terminals have been predominantly popular. Owing to diverse tastes of users, sliding-type and swing-type portable terminals have emerged. Currently, the sliding type is more popular than the folder type.
Meanwhile, along with the development of mobile communication services beyond voice call or message transmission, portable terminals are now considered a necessity and various services are available through the portable terminals. For example, a user can download a game or enjoy an on-line game through a portable terminal. Also, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) programs, videos, and music files can be downloaded and replayed in portable terminals. Financial services are also gaining popularity, such as a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM)-based credit card function.
The outward designs of portable terminals have been developed, mainly addressing communication functions including voice call and message transmission. However, these terminals may not be suitable for multimedia service. For instance, the display of a typical portable terminal is elongated vertically, thus it is inconvenience to view a DMB program, a video, etc. in a limited display.